The Hidden
by japanesebutterflylizard
Summary: She's new. She's pretty. She's Draco's perfect match. She's still got her nasty streak....


The Hidden  
  
1.1 The New Student  
  
Draco sat with Crabbe and Goyle at the Halloween feast, drumming his fingers on the wooden table. He yawned. Dumbledore sure could ramble. He'd been talking for ten minutes straight and nothing he'd said so far had been slightly interesting. Not that Draco had been listening.  
  
'And one last thing,' Dumbledore said. 'We have a new student to Hogwarts.' A ripple of whispers broke out through the hall. Dumbledore motioned to a door to the left of the staff table. A girl who would have been fifteen appeared in the doorway. She had tanned, golden skin and short brown hair which would have ended a few inches below her ears, had it not been sticking out all over the place. She had full, pink lips and dazzling green eyes that rivaled Harry Potter's. She wore a black Hogwarts robe over normal Muggle clothing and a few clips holding some stray hairs back. Draco's head rose from his hands. One could call her beautiful, but the term didn't seem to fit right. She had a sort of taking look about her. But simply, she was very pretty. Her green eyes searched the room and all the tables, before they settled on Draco.  
  
Draco's heart started drumming. He watched her look at him. She screwed her face up just enough so Draco could distinguish a quizzical look. Then her eyes left his cold blue ones and back to Dumbledore.  
  
'This is Skye Elddir,' Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. Skye stumbled forward, tripping over her feet. She smiled at the hall. Dumbledore bent down and said something to Professor McGonagall. She nodded and stood up.  
  
'Skye, you will have to be sorted before you can be seated,' she said briskly. 'Wait here.' She disappeared into the doorway Skye had come from and returned a few minutes later with a stool and a very tattered looking old hat. Draco recognized it as the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagall placed the stool in front of the teacher's table and told Skye to sit. Then she placed the Sorting Hat on Skye's head.  
  
Draco wondered why she had only just come to Hogwarts after five years. He watched the hat as it hmmed and haah as it sat on the girl's head. Maybe because she was really a Muggle and the Ministry had just suddenly made a mistake. The Sorting Hat was certainly taking its time.  
  
'Slytherin!' the hat shrieked at the top of its lungs. It shattered the silence. Everyone, even the teachers, jumped. Professor McGonagall took the hat off her head and Skye made her way towards the Slytherins as they clapped uncertainly. She smiled weakly. Throwing a look over to the trio he despised, Draco saw Weasley lean over and whisper something to Potter. Potter nodded and eyed Skye as she sat down.  
  
She had seated herself directly in front of Draco. Up close he could see what she really looked like. Thick black lashes framed her green eyes and her skin seemed to glow. You could tell she had lived most of her life in the sun.  
  
She looked up at Draco, startling him, and smiled.  
  
'I'm Skye,' she said. She held out her hand.  
  
'I'm Draco Malfoy,' Draco said. As he shook her hand a jolt of electricity seemed to race through him. He let go and placed his hands in his lap.  
  
'This is Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle,' he said. He motioned to the two bullies either side of him. Skye gave them an uncomfortable smile. They nodded in acknowledgement.  
  
'Charmed,' she said in a tone that fitted her expression. Draco snorted with laughter.  
  
'It's better than having trash like Harry Potter hanging around,' he sneered, looking over to the Gryffindor table. Harry was watching Skye carefully.  
  
'Harry Potter?' Skye repeated. She turned around the look. As she spotted him, her face turned to a frown. 'Thinks he's so fabulous because he's got a cut. Thinks he's the greatest wizard alive because he slithered like a worm out of Voldemort's grasp four times.' Draco smiled. He liked Skye already.  
  
'They're always plotting something,' he said. 'And they won't get in trouble for it. They never do.' Skye turned back to Draco.  
  
'I take it you don't like Potter either?' she said with perfect innocence and a smile to match. Draco wrung his hands beneath the table.  
  
What a smile, he thought. He shook it away. He had known this girl for twenty minutes.  
  
'Join the club,' he said. He picked at the mashed potato on his plate. 'He practically murdered the Whomping Willow, got a flying car spotted by Muggles and he gets a warning. Dumbledore's gone soft. If my father was headmaster…'  
  
'Isn't your father Lucius Malfoy?' Skye asked. She sipped from her goblet.  
  
'Yeah,' Draco said.  
  
'Perhaps he knows my parents,' she continued. She nibbled at a bread roll.  
  
'Maybe. What are their names?'  
  
'Lily. Lily and James.' Clang.  
  
'Lily and James?' Crabbe repeated. Draco and Skye jumped. He had been silent (well, as silent as you can be while consuming half a cow) for the conversation.  
  
'Uh, yeah,' Skye said.  
  
'That's the names of Harry Potter's parents,' Crabbe grunted. Skye turned her gaze back to Draco with raised eyebrows.  
  
'Probably just a coincidence,' Draco said.  
  
'One would hope,' Skye said. 'Just the thought…' she shuddered. Draco ran the idea in his head. Another Potter? Surely Skye couldn't be related to such trash.  
  
Dumbledore stood up.  
  
'You may all be excused to your dormitories,' He announced. There was the clutter of cutlery being dropped and knees bumping the table as everyone scrambled to get up.  
  
'I'll, err, show you the way to the Slytherin tower, shall I?' Draco offered. He saw Skye nod and shrug.  
  
The four (including Crabbe and Goyle) made their way up the many stairs to the Slytherin tower. On the way they talked.  
  
'I'm from Australia,' Skye said as they climbed a flight of stairs. 'I lived there all my life.'  
  
'Why didn't you come to London?' Draco inquired, turning the corner.  
  
'My parents were trying to teach me magic,' Skye said. Well that ruled out all connections with Harry Potter. His parents were dead – and good riddance.  
  
'Of course, when I turned fifteen, it was illegal. So a bunch of wizards apparated in the middle of Bree and took me here.'  
  
'Why didn't your parents want you to come here?'  
  
'They hate Dumbledore. Absolutely detest him.' Draco smiled.  
  
'So do mine. Of course, mother didn't want to send me to Durmstrang, complaining it was too far away. Father was all for it, though…'  
  
'That sounds odd…your mother doesn't want to send you away to another country, but your father is alright with the idea.' Draco stopped. He thought for a moment, then laughed.  
  
'Knockturn,' Draco said to a stone wall. A door slid open and he walked in.  
  
A fire crackled merrily in the stone fireplace. A group of Slytherin girls sat in the chairs by the fire talking in hushed excited tones. One of them Draco recognized as Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced girl that he had been obliged to be polite to. She jumped up and rushed over to Draco.  
  
'Where were you?' she said. She brushed back her brown hair.  
  
'Down at the feast,' Draco said. 'Like everybody else.'  
  
'We were supposed to study together,' Pansy said irritably.  
  
'That was tomorrow night,' Draco said. 'This -,' Pansy looked Skye up and down.  
  
'Who's that?' she barked, crossing her arms. Draco's lip curled slightly at her rude bluntness.  
  
'This is,' Draco began.  
  
'I'm Skye Elddir,' Skye said, holding out her hand. Pansy looked at it and gave her a loathing look.  
  
'And you are one girl with a serious attitude problem,' Skye scoffed. Heads turned in the Slytherin common room.  
  
'I just don't like tramps,' Pansy shot.  
  
'I can tell,' Skye hissed. 'You don't look like you take very good care of yourself.' Conversations stopped mid-word.  
  
'You really want to make enemies before you make friends?' Pansy said, leaning over. 'Oh, I'm sorry. You probably will. It's not as if anyone would want a friend that looks like you.'  
  
'Call me when you grow up,' Skye said, rolling her eyes. 'I'm off to bed. G'night, Draco.' Draco watched her walk up the stairs to the girl's dormitories with admiration. She had just walked away, not even bothering with Pansy.  
  
'Tramp,' Pansy said, standing beside Draco and watching her leave. 'Where's she been anyway?'  
  
'Nice one, Parkinson,' Draco said. Pansy turned to look at him  
  
'Parkinson?' she repeated. She looked confused.  
  
'You heard me,' Draco said. 'I'm going to bed. Sweet dreams.' He threw a cold look at Pansy and proceeded to the boy's dormitories.  
  
As Draco lay in bed that night, in his satin pajamas, he thought about Skye.  
  
It was odd she had been in Australia for fifteen years, but she had an excuse that Draco would accept. And Pansy was simply jealous. She had been trying to get Draco's attention for months. First she had her friends see if he liked her, then she had asked him out, with him declining of course. He had tried to make it clear he wasn't the least bit interested in her, but she didn't seem to pick it up. Either that or she was trying all the same. She was getting severely annoying.  
  
When morning broke, Draco rolled out of bed. He made his way down to the common room to sit by the fire like he usually did every morning, to find Skye and Pansy in a heated argument.  
  
'Well maybe if you had shut up about them, I wouldn't have had to!' Skye said hotly.  
  
'I didn't do anything! You just chucked a fit! You're retarded!' Pansy cried.  
  
'Say that again,' Skye hissed. She drew her wand. Pansy laughed.  
  
'You don't have the guts to,' she said. 'You're retarded and your parents were dark wizards.' Skye's glare looked as if it had caught alight. She growled and pointed her wand straight at Patsy.  
  
'Cruciatus,' she whispered just so Draco could hear. Red light shot from Skye's wand to surround Patsy. Suddenly it darted inside her skin and she began shrieking.  
  
'Quietus,' Skye said. Patsy's shrieking died down, although her mouth was still moving. Skye let her go for another five seconds before breaking the curse.  
  
Patsy fell to the floor gasping for breath.  
  
'You – you are a dark wizard,' she choked. Skye stood over her again, pointing her wand. She opened her mouth.  
  
'Alright, alright!' Patsy cried. She got up and scrambled back to the girl's dormitories. Skye sighed and wiped sweat from her brow. She collapsed into an armchair. Draco's heart thudded in his chest. How did a girl no older than he, know how to do an Unforgivable Curse? Where would she have learnt it? His mind raced with thought. Draco stepped out from the shadow that was cast on the stairs.  
  
'I – how – that was –,' he stuttered. Skye jumped and looked for the source of the voice. And uncomfortable look came over her face.  
  
'Ah – err – I –,' Skye said.  
  
'That was amazing,' Draco said. He came and sat down beside her. 'How did you learn?'  
  
'My parents,' Skye said. 'They taught me everything.'  
  
'I'd love to be able to…you know,' Draco said.  
  
'I could teach you, but someone'd probably find out,' Skye said. Draco nodded.  
  
'I suppose I could go without learning how to do Cruciatus.'  
  
'You won't tell anyone?' Skye asked.  
  
'Oh, I won't,' Draco said. 'But what about Parkinson?'  
  
'Who's going to believe someone like her?'  
  
'You're right, I guess.'  
  
'So, did you have any interesting dreams last night?'  
  
Draco and Skye talked until it was time for breakfast. They had become quite good friends.  
  
1.2 Quidditch  
  
The final lesson for the day was flying practice with the Gryffindors.  
  
'Today we will be practicing with hoops,' Madam Hooch said. 'There will be a number of rings in the air that you are to loop through. First though, I think we will just warm up with some flying around the pitch.'  
  
The two classes mounted their brooms and kicked off. Draco sped around the edges of the pitch, watching the others make fools of themselves.  
  
Skye flew high above the others with a grace that Draco had never seen before, even on Potter. She weaved in and out of imaginary players, ducking and swooping. He looked around and saw he wasn't the only one awed by her skills. A nerdy Gryffindor, Draco recognized him faintly as Seamus Finnigan, was watching her intently, and having trouble controlling his broom as he plowed into another Gryffindor.  
  
However, it wasn't long before Weasley and that Mudblood flew up to her did he pay much attention. He flew closer to hear what they were saying.  
  
'So why have you only just come?' the Mudblood asked.  
  
'Because,' Skye said.  
  
'What's your parents names?' Weasley asked.  
  
'That's none of your business,' Skye said. 'I'd better let you go, I don't know if you can stay up this high too long, you know, with all that air between your ears.' Weasley and Granger exchanged a glance and flew off, talking quietly to each other. Draco flew up to Skye.  
  
'Wonder where their dear Potter is,' Skye said. 'Perhaps he's off getting private Quidditch lessons.'  
  
'Actually,' Draco said. 'I'd assume he is. He has special permission from Oliver Wood. He's the Gryffindor seeker.' Skye's tone changed. In fact she smiled.  
  
'Seeker, eh?' she said. 'I'll show that perfect Potter who's the best seeker…'  
  
'I'm the Slytherin seeker,' Draco said.  
  
'Are you any good?' Skye asked.  
  
'Of course,' Draco said, drawing himself up. Skye poked him tummy. He let out his breath and practically fell off his broom.  
  
'What was that for?' he asked.  
  
'Don't get too cocky,' Skye said. She sped off towards the ground. She landed her broom and walked over to Madam Hooch. She had a short conversation with her before being cut off sharply. She threw her a dark look and mounted her broom again, flying back to Draco.  
  
'What was that about?' he asked. Skye hovered beside him.  
  
'I asked why Potter got his place as a seeker,' Skye said. 'She told me. You seem bright enough, but Draco, next time just smash it on the ground, okay?' Draco laughed. 'So I asked how I could get on the Slytherin team. She told me I had to try out, like everybody else. Then I started going off about bout how Potter got his place handed to him, and she told me to get back on my broom.'  
  
Down on the ground, Madam Hooch clapped her hands and about fifty smoky rings appeared around the pitch.  
  
'You are to fly through as many of these as you can before the end of the lesson,' she announced. The two houses all scrambled for the hoops. Skye was ahead of them all.  
  
She ducked and weaved among the hoops, with perfect grace. She had gone through them all when Draco had done about ten.  
  
'Well done Miss. Elldir,' Madam Hooch said, drawing up alongside her on her own broom.  
  
'So can I be on the team?' Skye asked.  
  
'I can't tell you that,' Madam Hooch said. 'However, since class is nearly over, you could talk to Marcus Flint, the Slytherin team captain.'  
  
'Excellent,' Skye said. She sped off to talk to Seamus. In fact, she had been talking to Seamus quite a bit that day. Draco continued to fly through the hoops until the bell rang. He looked for Skye, but she was nowhere to be seen.  
  
He landed his broom and headed back to the Slytherin tower. On the way, he was pulled over by Marcus Flint.  
  
'I've got some bad news for you,' he said.  
  
'What?' Draco asked, slightly annoyed.  
  
'You're off the team,' Flint told him.  
  
'What?' Draco repeated. 'Why?'  
  
'We've got a new seeker,' Flint said.  
  
'Wh – who?'  
  
'That Elldir chick.'  
  
'Skye? Oh, okay.'  
  
'You're okay with the idea?'  
  
'Well, yeah.'  
  
'Okay then. Bye.'  
  
Draco proceeded to the Slytherin Tower.  
  
The following week, there was to be a Quidditch game between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Draco was eager to see how Skye would go.  
  
'See you got kicked off the team for a girl, Malfoy,' Weasley said to him as he made his way to the Quidditch pitch.  
  
'It could be worse,' Draco sneered. 'I could be stupider than a Mudblood.' Weasley's fists balled up and Granger took his arm.  
  
'Let's go, Ron,' she said quietly. Weasley threw a dark glare at Draco and left.  
  
'Today's game,' Lee Jordan announced to the crowd gathered in the Quidditch stands. 'Is Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Slytherin has a new seeker, Skye Elldir…' He went on to commentate.  
  
'Madam Hooch is stepping out onto the pitch.' That boy's voice really annoyed Draco. He fiddled with his Slytherin scarf. He spotted Skye hovering above the ground, receiving a prep talk from Marcus Flint.  
  
Suddenly all four balls flew into the air and the game began.  
  
Alicia Spinnet took hold of the Quaffle and raced towards her goal posts. She stopped and attempted to throw the Quaffle to Katie Bell. Everyone gasped as Skye intercepted it and threw it to a Slytherin chaser. He hovered, looking confused for a second, before racing back to the Slytherin goal posts and scoring the first goal for the game.  
  
'Slytherin 10, Gryffindor nil,' Lee Jordan announced.  
  
Draco felt as if he had just had a sledgehammer blow to his shoulder.  
  
'Skye,' Goyle grunted excitedly. He pointed with a beefy hand to the Australian girl, who was now in a dive. Draco put his omnioculars up to his eyes and saw the golden Snitch flapping its tiny silver wings as it hovered just above the ground.  
  
Potter had seen it too. He was in front, but Skye was gaining speed. She elbowed him sharply. They were meters from the ground when Skye jumped off her broom. Her fingers closed around the Snitch and Potter plowed headfirst into the ground.  
  
Skye stood proudly holding up the Snitch. She hadn't even fallen when she jumped off her broom.  
  
The Slytherins jumped up and erupted in applause, Draco among them. Even though he knew he'd get slack for being such a bad player, he was glad someone had finally beat the crap out of Potter's precious ego.  
  
After the game, Draco waited for Skye.  
  
'That was brilliant,' he said as she came out of the changing sheds.  
  
'Thanks,' she said. 'And best of all I know I at least broke that Potter's nose.' She had indeed. Potter had been taken to the hospital, blood pouring from his nose.  
  
Skye gave Draco a hug.  
  
'Thanks for giving up your spot,' she said.  
  
'Th – that's okay,' Draco said, still taken from the hug.  
  
'C'mon. Let's go gloat,' she said. They made their way to the great hall for dinner.  
  
The two became best friends in the time before Christmas came, and Draco's presence became almost bearable for the Gryffindors, other than Potter, Weasley and the Mudblood.  
  
Skye, however, had friendships with practically everyone. Especially that Irish Gryffindor Seamus. Except, of course, Pansy Parkinson, who never gave up the chance to gossip about her.  
  
1.3 Christmas  
  
It was three days before Christmas and there was to be another Yule Ball that year as well, except this one was to be on Christmas Eve.  
  
Neither Draco, nor Skye had dates yet.  
  
Draco had finished another enjoyable potions lesson. He hadn't seen Skye that lesson. He wandered through the halls, heading towards the Charms classrooms.  
  
He turned a corner and suddenly stopped. He heard giggling coming from one of the classrooms.  
  
He opened a door to the room that the giggling was coming from just a crack and peered in.  
  
He nearly fell over backwards.  
  
Skye was in the corner. That wouldn't have been so bad if she wasn't there with someone. She was caught in a kiss with Seamus Finnigan. She put her arms around him, seeming to enjoy the moment. Draco pushed the door open. They quickly broke apart. Seamus went scarlet as he saw Draco's look of pure venom. Skye bit her lower lip then went to say something.  
  
Draco shook his head and went on his way.  
  
He sat listening in Charms. Well, not really listening.  
  
He had no reason to be mad at Seamus or Skye. He wasn't even dating her. They were just friends. Just best friends. He was going to ask her to the ball, but it didn't really matter. He'd just go with Pansy. She'd still do anything for him.  
  
Draco sighed. He didn't even feel that way about her. Did he? Again, he shook the thoughts away.  
  
Draco sat in the Slytherin common room and chatted to Pansy. She was delighted that he was talking to her, even though it was a little odd.  
  
Draco had asked her to the ball and she had gleefully accepted. He felt a little bit guilty. It wasn't as if he was going with her because he really liked her. Just to get back at Skye.  
  
'I'm so glad you're talking to me,' Pansy said.  
  
'Yeah,' Draco said, picturing Skye where Pansy was.  
  
'And I'm so glad we're going to the ball together,' she said.  
  
'Me too,' Draco agreed absentmindedly. 'Don't know why I didn't ask you ages ago.' Why not add some drama to it?  
  
Suddenly Pansy grabbed Draco and kissed him. Draco would have shrieked and pushed her away, had he not heard the passageway open.  
  
He put his arms around Pansy and kissed her back. From the corner of his eye he saw Skye enter the Slytherin common room. She gasped and dropped her books. Draco closed his eyes and pretended not to notice. He heard footsteps approaching. A strong hand yanked him up.  
  
He faced Skye. She looked into his eyes with rage. She slapped his face and stormed up to the girl's dormitories.  
  
Pansy grabbed his hand.  
  
'Draco, sit –,' she began.  
  
'No thanks,' Draco said, trying to give her a smile. 'I'm, err, really tired.' He wrenched out of Pansy's grip and went to lie on his bed.  
  
He buried his face in his pillows. He couldn't. He wouldn't. He did.  
  
He cried. He sobbed quietly into his pillow. The worse thing was that he didn't even know why he was crying. Skye had an excuse for being angry. But she didn't have a reason to slap him. Even she had been in the arms of Seamus Finnigan that day. That little prat. Draco was going to curse him the next time he saw him.  
  
But what was the whole point? He didn't have deeper feelings for Skye, and it was obvious she didn't for him. But the slap…Draco was confused. He drifted into an uneasy sleep.  
  
The next two days passed slowly, with neither Draco nor Skye talking to each other. Skye was spending most of her time with Seamus, and Draco trying to avoid Pansy.  
  
Finally the night of the ball came. Draco was dressed in dark blue robes woven with silver threads so it shimmered in the right light.  
  
Pansy dressed similarly with a dark red robe with gold trimmings.  
  
The two made their way down the stairs to the room where the students were to wait before the Yule Ball started. Draco spotted Skye and Seamus.  
  
It was the first time Draco had seen Skye with her hair done. She had it up in a messy sort of bun held with clips and a few wisps of hair dangling around her face. She wore a shimmery silver robe, which fell over her curved perfectly. Draco's jaw dropped open when he saw her. He quickly closed it when she turned around. Her eyes darted over to Draco for a moment.  
  
The doors of the great hall opened and the large ground went in.  
  
There were thousands of soft flames in the air, flitting around. Draco assumed they were fire faeries. Then they had the normal Christmas decorations they had every year.  
  
Draco watched Skye as she walked around with Seamus, talking to everyone. The light danced across her face, casting shadows that made Draco wish he had never kissed Pansy. He however was sitting alone with her. She babbled on about pointless things. He wasn't even listening. He was too busy watching Skye and Seamus.  
  
Eventually Seamus left her to go and talk to Potter and his group.  
  
'Pansy,' Draco said abruptly.  
  
'Yes, Draco?' Pansy said sweetly.  
  
'Shut up,' Draco told her. He pushed out his chair and walked over to Skye.  
  
She sat by herself, her head propped on her elbows.  
  
'Hi,' said Draco. He stood in front of her.  
  
'What?' Skye asked, taking a swig of her butterbeer.  
  
'How can he leave someone as beautiful as you sitting alone?' Draco said. Skye looked up at him. The band players suddenly struck a low note and a soulful tune began.  
  
'Would you like to dance?' Draco asked. He held out his hand. Skye looked at his hand for a moment. Then slowly she took it.  
  
Draco led Skye onto the floor. He put his arms around her waist and Skye put her arms around his neck. She put her head on his shoulder. They danced slowly for a while.  
  
'Draco,' Skye said suddenly.  
  
'Yes?' Draco asked.  
  
'I'm sorry,' Skye said.  
  
'For what?' Draco asked.  
  
'For Seamus,' Skye said. 'I'd just…I just like Irish accents. He's as boring as anything is.'  
  
'That's ok,' Draco said. 'I'm sorry about Pansy.'  
  
'Forgiven,' Skye whispered. They stopped dancing for a moment. Skye's green eyes met Draco's blue eyes.  
  
Slowly, Draco leaned down and kissed her soft pink lips softly. He felt like electricity was shooting through his body. Kissing Skye was nothing like kissing Pansy. It was a loving kiss, and when Draco broke it, Skye pulled him back.  
  
They stood there kissing for a minute among the other dancing couples.  
  
'Wow,' Skye said when they finally broke apart. 'Stuff Seamus.' And they continued the dance.  
  
When Draco went to sit down again, Pansy had her arms crossed irritably.  
  
'I saw you then,' she said. 'With that tramp.'  
  
'Don't call her a tramp,' Draco hissed.  
  
'But it's what she is! Seamus was going with Lavender Brown, but then she came along, all flirtatious and everything, so now he was with her, then now she's back to kissing you,' Pansy explained.  
  
'Get a life,' Draco said. 'You don't mind if I abandon you?'  
  
'Yes,' Pansy snapped. Draco shrugged and went to dance with Skye.  
  
Draco found Skye talking to Seamus.  
  
'It's Harry,' Seamus said.  
  
'What about Potter?' Draco sneered, coming over to join the conversation.  
  
'He's been attacked,' Seamus said worriedly. Skye and Draco exchanged a smile. 'He's in the hospital wing. Ron and Hermione told me. Harry went off to find Cho Chang and he didn't come back. They got called to Dumbledore's office.'  
  
'What happened?' Skye asked, not even trying to hide her smile.  
  
'He got bitten,' Seamus said. 'By a big snake or something. If you really want to know, ask Ron and Hermione.' Both Skye and Draco snorted with laughter.  
  
Draco and Skye left Seamus to talk to another Gryffindor about Harry.  
  
The following morning was Christmas.  
  
Skye bounded into the boy's dormitories and jumped onto Draco's bed. He practically wet himself.  
  
'Skye?! What the hell are you doing?' He demanded, fighting back a smile. Skye gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.  
  
'Merry Christmas, Scrooge,' she said. She picked up a large package she had dropped from beside the bed. It was wrapped in golden paper.  
  
'Open it,' she said. Draco pulled at the cords and the paper fell open. It was something velvety.  
  
'What is it?' He asked. Skye's eyes glittered.  
  
'It's Potter's,' she said with a broad smile. 'It's his invisibility cloak.' Draco's jaw dropped.  
  
'His invisibility cloak?' he repeated. Skye nodded. 'How'd you get it?' he asked as he held it up.  
  
'I stole it,' Skye said as if it was something she did every day. 'While he, Weasley and the Mudblood were off one another of their adventures.'  
  
Draco smiled. Now this was something he wanted for Christmas. He gave Skye a hug.  
  
'Thanks,' he said. 'I got you something, erm, hang on.' Draco got out of bed and rummaged through his closet. He pulled out a small, dusty wooden box. He handed it to her. Skye blew the dust off the top of the lid and opened it.  
  
Inside was a small chain with a gold ring on the end. Skye picked it up.  
  
'It's beautiful,' she said.  
  
'That's not all,' Draco explained. 'It's special. It's meant to protect you or something.'  
  
'Hey, I'll be fine,' Skye said, unhooking the clasp and putting it around her neck. 'I've got you.' And she kissed his lips gently.  
  
'C'mon. Let's open your presents,' Skye said. She motioned to the huge pile at the end of his bed. By this time the rest of the Slytherins in the dormitory were waking up and noticing theirs.  
  
Draco and Skye unwrapped his presents. He got a number of interesting things, among that lamp that only gives light to the bearer, a new Firebolt, hair gel (from Crabbe and Goyle), a broomstick repair kit, and a slim black cat. She, too was wrapped in a large box with holes punched in the top.  
  
'Oh my God, look at her!' Skye said. 'Here.' She took the cat out of Draco's hands, which didn't really know how to hold it. It purred in her lap as she stroked its head. Draco smiled.  
  
'Wonder if she's already got a name,' Draco said.  
  
'There's no collar yet,' Skye said, checking her neck. 'Ooh, I know. How about Phantom?'  
  
'Cool,' Draco said. 'Phantom.'  
  
'OK, now let's go see what's in your presents,' Draco suggested.  
  
'Uh – that's okay,' Skye said. 'I like opening presents by myself.'  
  
'Aww, c'mon. Couldn't be worse than the trash Potter gets.'  
  
'I don't think so…'  
  
'Come, on, Skye. It's me.'  
  
'Oh, ok.' She slung Phantom over her shoulder and led Draco to the girl's dormitories.  
  
'Aren't you coming?' She asked when Draco stopped.  
  
'That's the girl's dormitories,' Draco said, going slightly pink. 'I can't go in there.' Skye rolled her eyes and laughed. She grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him in.  
  
The girl's dormitory was very different to the boy's. The walls were covered in moving posters of different wizards, and the floor was littered with pink and silver wrapping paper.  
  
'Pansy's parents like everything to look the same,' Skye laughed. 'I guess her brother must have been a hog or something.' Pansy and her group, who were sitting on her bed, glared at Skye as she walked by with Phantom and Draco.  
  
1.4 The Athame  
  
Phantom sat in Draco's lap as Skye slowly unwrapped her first present. She had a small pile which they had shifted to the bed and then drawn the drapes.  
  
She tore the paper slowly. Eventually she pulled out a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. She sighed with what sounded like relief.  
  
All went smoothly until Skye reached for her last present.  
  
She ripped the paper off quite boldly. She held up the object then suddenly dropped it, gasping. She jumped off the bed and scooped it up. She shoved it into the top drawer of her bedside table, breathing heavily.  
  
Draco put Phantom on the bed and went to see what was the matter.  
  
'What was that?' he asked. Skye shook her head.  
  
'Nothing,' she said. 'Just – erm, a joke. My parents. They do it every year.' Draco eyed her suspiciously. She smiled weakly. Her smile wavered and suddenly fell. She wrapped her arms around Draco and buried her face in his shoulder. She began sobbing. Draco held her.  
  
'Are you going to tell me what's happening?' he asked. Skye paused, then nodded.  
  
'But not here,' she whispered. 'Too many people listening. Get,' she lowered her voice. 'Get the cloak. I'll meet you in the common room.  
  
Draco nodded, kissed her forehead and went to get dressed.  
  
As Draco pulled on a dark red robe, he thought about Skye. She was wonderful. Whatever it was bothering her, she didn't hide it well, but she tried. And getting that cloak from Potter. Now that was a stunt. He wondered how she did it. He laughed at the thought of Weasley, Potter and Granger's faces when they couldn't find it. Yet didn't a serpent or something attack Potter? He shrugged to himself, grabbed the cloak and went to find Skye.  
  
'Got it?' she whispered. Draco nodded. They crept out the hidden passage and threw the cloak over themselves. Skye led them to the girl's bathrooms.  
  
'What?' Draco asked. 'Do you even know the difference between males and females?' Skye shook her head and pulled him in. There was a loud wailing coming from the end stall.  
  
'Moaning Myrtle,' Skye said. 'She's always in here, bawling her eyes out. Everyone just wishes she'd SHUT UP!' Skye shouted the last few words so Myrtle could hear them. She gave another sob and flushed herself down the u-bend.  
  
Skye pulled Draco into one of the stalls and shut the door.  
  
'Why did we need the cloak?' Draco asked, sitting uncomfortably on the lid of the toilet. Skye sat cross-legged on the floor.  
  
'So no one had any chance of following us,' Skye whispered. 'Now what I'm about to tell you, you can never, ever repeat. I'm telling you this because I trust you. OK?' Draco nodded.  
  
'Don't sit on the floor,' he said. 'Here.' He held out his arms. Skye crawled onto half of his lap.  
  
'My parents – Lily and James, they didn't raise me,' Skye said. She paused for a moment. Tears began flooding down her cheeks. Draco pulled her into a hug.  
  
'Not long after I was born, the Dark Lord took me. I was born for his use. I was supposed to be his heir,' Skye continued. 'He had his two most faithful servants take me somewhere the Ministry would never imagine to look, and raise me to know everything they did before I had to go to Hogwarts. They were to teach me everything Lord Voldemort did, everything he knew. I was to be another of him, in case anything like well, what happened, happened. Now that he's come back, and he has, I'm his daughter. He still talks to me. He – he had it planned. He sent me here to kill Potter.'  
  
There was an awkward silence, except for Skye's quiet sobs. Draco pulled her into another long hug.  
  
He looked into her glassy green eyes.  
  
'I love you,' he said. 'Even if you are you-know-who's daughter. Even if you kill Potter.'  
  
'And the serpent,' Skye went on. 'Nagini. The Dark Lord's serpent. I had her brought here to help me kill Potter. Even she couldn't do it. That – that stupid Potter has Dumbledore right under this thumb. He's even got him protecting him every minute of every day. I hate him!'  
  
'What about the Christmas present?' Draco asked, still taking it all in. He was feeling rather queasy, actually.  
  
'It was the Athame,' Skye said. 'I had to use it to kill Potter. I don't know why he wants Potter dead, but…but if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be born. I'll always be on his side.' Draco was silent.  
  
'Oh,' he said hoarsely. Skye gave a weak laugh.  
  
'But – but you're still going to stay by me?' she whispered. Draco looked down into her emerald eyes. They seemed different, now. He was having trouble believing what she had said. In the moment he hesitated replying, Skye's face fell and she got up. Draco took her hand.  
  
'Of course,' he said. Skye smiled again.  
  
'We'd better leave,' She said. 'Potter and his troupe could come in at any moment.' She opened the door to the stall and immediately bumped into Hermione Granger.  
  
'Hello, Skye,' Ron said sarcastically, stepping out from behind her. 'Fancy bumping into you here.' Draco stood up and eyed the trio.  
  
'Hello, Weasley,' Draco said sarcastically. 'We'll leave now. I don't even want to know what all three of you are doing here.' Skye pushed past them back into the corridor.  
  
'Do you think they heard?' Skye asked as she and Draco walked around the lake.  
  
'I don't think so,' Draco said. He had no doubt they had heard. 'They would have at least done something other than standing there.' He took Skye's hand.  
  
'I hope so,' she said. 'Else I'd be in big trouble.'  
  
'So what are you going to do?' Draco asked.  
  
'Well, I don't really have a choice,' Skye said gloomily. 'I suppose I'll have to kill Potter.'  
  
'How are you going to do that?'  
  
'With the Athame, of course.'  
  
'But how? He's so well protected. Its not as if his life is more important than anyone else's is.'  
  
'Leave that to me,' Skye whispered.  
  
That night at dinner, neither Skye nor Potter was there. Draco kept glancing at the doorway to the hall, hoping to see Skye.  
  
It wasn't until Professor Snape swung open the doors and announced something did Draco begin to worry.  
  
Snape rushed over to Dumbledore and whispered something in his ear. A look of terror flashed across his face.  
  
Dumbledore stood up.  
  
'Could all students please go back to their towers,' he announced. 'There has been an accident.' Draco saw Weasley and Granger get up from their seats and sneak out a door a meter or two behind them. Draco stood up to follow.  
  
'Don't come with me,' he told Crabbe and Goyle. 'Follow Parkinson.' Crabbe and Goyle were stupid enough to get lost.  
  
Draco followed Weasley and Granger through a few corridors and staircases until they came to the upstairs girl's bathroom.  
  
'It could be still open,' Weasley whispered.  
  
'I think so,' Granger whispered back. 'The professors haven't come yet. We'd better hurry up.' Draco peered around the doorframe at them. The entire sink had opened up to a great tunnel. They climbed into it and disappeared.  
  
Draco followed suit. Skye was sure to be where ever Potter was, and Weasley and the Mudblood were wherever Potter was.  
  
He slid down the dark tunnel, watching the limestone walls whiz past him. He crashed onto the floor, feeling slightly dazed.  
  
He was covered in complete darkness. Draco pulled out his wand and lit it. He saw the dim glowing of Weasley and Granger's wands. He hurried towards them quietly.  
  
Draco followed them for a very long time, listening to the steady drip dripping of water. Suddenly they walked off the path and hid behind a large rock. Draco doused his wand and walked up further to see why they had stopped.  
  
Two gigantic columns marked a large chamber. On the ground lay the remains of a dead basilisk. The stench of a dead animal lying in an enclosed chamber for three years was overwhelming, and Draco clamped his hand over his nose and mouth.  
  
'Malfoy!' he heard Weasley mutter as he kept walking. He ignored him. There was a dim glow at the far end of the chamber. He heard voices. He took a deep breath and made his way to the great staircase at the far end.  
  
'That's the thing that irritates me, Harry,' hissed an icy voice. 'You think that you're going to save the world.' The voice continued to insult Potter. Draco began climbing the steps. The voice stopped.  
  
'Why, I think we have a visitor,' the voice said. Draco was barely halfway up the stairs when an invisible hook grabbed his cloak and pulled him to the top.  
  
There was a large stone platform at the top of the stairs. Potter stood chained to a crumbling column. He had a deep wound below his collarbone with blood soaking his clothes. His glasses were shattered.  
  
Skye stood behind a man in a cloak, her hands stained red. She saw Draco and her eyes filled with terror. She opened her mouth.  
  
'Ah. Malfoy's son, if I am correct,' the man said carefully. 'Wonderful you could join us. Quite unexpected, I'm afraid.'  
  
'Don't hurt him,' Skye begged. 'He – just here at the wrong time…'  
  
'Calm, Skye,' He said. 'We will see.' He waved his hand and suddenly Draco was atop a column, which had broken in half. He was meters from the ground.  
  
'It is the end for you, Potter,' the man said. Draco's heart practically stopped beating. Who else would the man be? He stopped breathing for a moment as he realised it. It was Lord Voldemort.  
  
'Why do you want to kill me?' Potter spat.  
  
'Ah, that is quite a long story,' Lord Voldemort said. 'I suppose it would be a good story before I kill you. Skye, you will be interested in this, as well.' Skye looked at the hooded man and nodded. She sat down on the ground.  
  
'Did you know, Potter, you weren't supposed to be born?' Voldemort questioned Potter. 'In fact, you would be a nuisance to the greater plan. There is something you haven't realised. You were born a twin. You were the boy version of what I really wanted. Skye, was born as my heir, but unfortunately, so were you.' Skye opened her mouth and pointed her herself, then to Potter, then she motioned back and forth. Voldemort nodded. Potter just blinked stupidly.  
  
'Potter, I'm your sister,' Skye said. She shuddered.  
  
'Liar,' Potter hissed at Voldemort.  
  
'It is true,' he said. 'I had a deal with your parents. Lily and James were to conceive me one child, in exchange for their lives. They did, but they had fraternal twins. I had no use for Harry. Lily begged me to let them keep him. But now that he was born with me in him, he would surely be found out about, or Lily and James would tell the Ministry. I had no choice but to kill him. Of course, I failed. I fled, and after a number of years I regained my power. So I set out to find my born heir, Skye. I sent both her and Nagini here in hopes of killing you right under Dumbledore's nose.'  
  
'And you failed,' Harry spat. 'You're a hopeless wizard!' Voldemort walked towards Harry and put his face up to Harry's.  
  
'We shall see,' He said.  
  
'Father, wait,' Skye chimed in.  
  
'What's the matter?' Voldemort asked.  
  
'Wouldn't it be safer, well, to take him back to the castle?' she asked. 'He's too close to being protected here.'  
  
'It seems you have been raised well,' Voldemort said. 'So be it.' He flicked his wand and the chains binding Potter to the column were released. A translucent rope shot from the end of Lord Voldemort's wand and tied Harry's arms to his sides.  
  
'Skye, come,' he said, holding out his hand.  
  
'What - what about Draco?' she asked.  
  
'Oh yes,' Voldemort said. 'Avada –'  
  
'Wait!' Skye cried. 'Don't kill him!'  
  
'He's seen far too much,' Voldemort said.  
  
'Please, please don't. He'll promise, won't you?' Skye turned to Draco as he was levitated back to the ground.  
  
'You'll promise me,' Skye asked quietly. Thoughts whizzed through Draco's mind. Die, or don't die, and not tell anyone what they wouldn't know anyway if he was killed.  
  
'I promise,' Draco stuttered.  
  
'Say it,' Skye said.  
  
'I promise not to tell anyone what happened here,' Draco said.  
  
'How do you know he won't lie?' Voldemort hissed.  
  
'I trust him,' Skye said. She took Draco's hand.  
  
'I have to go now,' she said quietly.  
  
'I'll miss you,' Draco said. Skye wiped a stray tear from her cheek.  
  
'I love you,' she said. 'I don't know if I'll ever see you again.'  
  
'I love you too,' Draco whispered. He leant down and kissed her pale lips.  
  
'Don't forget me,' she said. She hugged him tightly. 'Goodbye.'  
  
'Goodbye,' Draco whispered.  
  
Skye took Voldemort's hand. He said something in another language and he, Skye and Potter began to disappear in a cloud that glittered with dark magic.  
  
Suddenly they were gone and everything was silent. Draco buried his face in his hands and tried not to cry. Skye was gone. She hadn't been lying about being the Dark Lord's daughter. He couldn't cry. Not when Weasley and the Mudblood were watching.  
  
He went to find his way back when he tripped over something lying on the ground. He lit his wand and crouched down. It was Skye's Athame. He gave a soft laugh as a tear trickled down his cheek and fell into the dirt. Draco took the Athame and tucked it into his robe.  
  
Draco Malfoy made his way back to the Slytherin tower.  
  
Writer's note: Yes, I know very well that Skye is a perfect Mary Sue. I've already been flamed enough, so accept the fact it's her character. From her past, it's how the story is meant to sway. Trust me, OK? 


End file.
